The Ultimate Enemy
by Nadreth
Summary: One Shot. A story about how Danny Phantom becomes the ways he is, yes I know it's pretty much in the episode, but here it's written down and detailed out including much anger and angst.


**The Ultimate Enemy

* * *

**

AMITY VIL: TEN YEARS IN THE FUTURE

Valerie flew across the city on her jet board – Amity Vil her city, she glanced up momentarily at the shield, the only thing keeping this lone city safe from…_him_. Flying past Casper High School she waved at a couple of kids who smiled at her in return. Soaring upwards she landed softly on top of the closest generator – it was important that they be in top condition.

Pulling open the panel on the front she studied it for a moment before raising her wrist communicator "ghost shield tower nine 100 operational," she said smiling to herself.

Her dad came into view on the communicator, "Great sweetie check the last tower and then get bac- "

The communicator sizzled cutting off her father's words, "Daddy?" she said in confusion, "Daddy!"

Suddenly red eyes appeared on the screen – dangerous and horrible, it was _him_, "Hello Valerie."

"You again?" she snapped angrily in response, "I don't care how powerful you are ghost, you can't break through the shield."

"Until today," _he_ responded coldly. Just as _he_ finished speaking a howl filled the city, Valerie covered her ears but she could still hear the awful sound.

Around her glass began to shatter, people all over the city hunched over in fear, and then the impossible happened – the horrible noise hit the tower – and the tower could not resist.

"No," Valerie whispered in shock – even as she gasped she ran for her jet board flinging herself from the rapidly disintegrating tower.

She barely climbed onto the board in time to avoid crashing into a building below. She floated staring up as the rest of the towers began to blow as well – her protection, her peoples protection, shattering into a billion pieces.

Alarms began to ring and the automatic bunkers slid into view allowing the people to flee into them – Valerie felt fear grip her, what if she couldn't stop _him_ – what if _he_ beat her, what would happen to these people?

"Like the new power?" _his _voice asked over the communicator, "I call it my ghostly wail."

She looked away from _his _red eyes just in time to view a blast of purple energy, which slammed right into her. Falling to the ground she hit the pavement hard, it ripped open her arm – and it hurt.

She opened her eyes to view Fright Knight floating above her "You?" she said in surprise.

"Yes," Fright Knight responded his voice echoing coldly from his armor, "And I serve a new master now."

Valerie slid out of the way of the second blast of energy the Fright Knight flung at her – the Fright Knight was working for _him _that concept alone would take time for her to get her head around – never mind _his_ new power.

Jumping back on her jet board she flew, "Gotta get to Dad" she muttered trying to calm her fear for her fathers safety as she went.

Swooping toward a building labeled _Fenton Works_ she barely dodged out of the way as the Fright Knights next blast of energy took the whole top of the building off. She continued into the building anyway floating into the remains.

She finally reached the bottom of the building and was relived to find her father alive and well except for the arm he was missing due to certain…no she couldn't think about that now – she had to warn her father, "Dad – The Fright Knights here – Which means _he_ can't be far behind! What do we do?" a panic seized her, "What do we do?"

The howl filled the building and her father stared at her urgently, "Valerie – Run!"

A crack suddenly appeared in the floor green glowing lights shining from below, and emerging from the crack came _him_ harsh red eyes that were as cold as ice and as empty of humanity as a brick wall. He turned and smiled "Hello Valerie," he said then raising his hand he continued speaking, "And goodbye." A blast of energy began to emerge from his hand.

Valerie cowered from the man once known as – Danny Phantom.

* * *

**AMITY VIL: PRESENT – Casper High**

Danny sat in his class, glancing up at the teacher he noticed that Mr. Lancer wasn't looking – good, reaching into his desk he pulled slid the answers of the test into view and began copying them onto his sheet. Glancing over he notice Tucker and Sam frowning in disapproval at him. "What?" he mouthed over at them.

"Don't Cheat" Tucker mouthed back.

Annoyed Danny turned away from his friends and continued copying the answers, why couldn't they just understand that he had no choice – he couldn't study because he was busy protecting this city – shouldn't they be a little more thankful?

Looking up again Danny frowned upon noticing Jazz shaking her head in disgust at the door – and then he saw it – Ghost Gun Version 6.0 – she was going to reveal him to stop him from cheating on the C.A.T.

Worried he glanced down at the paper – two questions left…if he hurried…scribbling down the last two answers he stood up and walked over to the front desk.

"Mr. Lancer I'm done," he slapped the paper down on the desk quickly.

"So soon Danny – we are barely twenty minutes into the class."

"So?" Danny shrugged, "Maybe I'm just really smart."

Mr. Lancer sighed and motioned to the door. Smiling ever so slightly in relief he stood and went to the door pushing it open only to find himself face to face with his sister in an empty hall.

"Jazz…" Danny smiled innocently "What are you doing here?"

"Danny…Danny I know you cheated," Jazz sighed.

"Did not!"

"Danny don't even deny it – I saw the answers in your bag – if you don't go in there right now Danny…I'll just have to stop you permanently. – I'll have to use this to make sure you don't use your powers for evil ever again."

"Evil?" Danny coughed, "Jazz – it's just a test."

"Yeah Danny – it's just a test now – but who knows where this path will lead you."

"Oh please," Danny rolled his eyes "It's not like I'm going to become some crazy mass murdering psycho just because I cheated on one little test."

"You leave me no choice," Jazz sighed and raised the Ghost Gun.

"Jazz don't do this," Danny said frowning.

"I have to."

"Fine then -" Danny sighed and than said quietly "Then – I'm going ghost."

Danny felt the strange icy sensation of becoming a ghost shift through his molecules and then he began to float above Jazz. She raised the gun with a sad look in her eyes and blasted. Danny smiled as the blast went right though him.

"Jazz – we don't have to do this – I don't want to do this, just go home."

"Fine…" Jazz lowered the gun – "But if you think I'll let you get away with this…"

"Uh-huh, I know I'm gravely mistaken."

* * *

555-1221 

"Mrs. Fenton, its Mr. Lancer – could you meet me at the Nasty Burger at say…5:00 o'clock, and bring Danny."

* * *

"Mr. Lancer sounded urgent on the phone, Danny is something wrong?" 

Danny stared at his mother, Lancer couldn't know about the test…could he? "No mom nothing…" Danny said quickly.

Climbing out of the car Danny twisted his hands nervously – Lancer looked almost gleeful.

"Mr. And Mrs. Fenton, Daniel," the man began "This is the Nasty Burger, when people fail, this is where they end up, whether they fail because they don't study, or because they cheated." The man held up the C.A.T. answers with a smug smile.

"Danny, is this true," Mr. Fenton frowned suspiciously.

"Did you cheat?" His mother asked worriedly.

"Danny didn't do it!" Tucker's voice sounded from across the parking lot as both he and Sam came running over.

Danny sighed, there was no way he was getting away with this now, "How could I have cheated?" Danny asked innocently, "The answers were in a locked briefcase attached to your arm."

Mr. Lancer frowned, "I know you had them Danny, how else could you have gotten 100?"

"I told you, maybe I'm just smart."

"Yeah – did you think of that," Mr. Fenton frowned at Mr. Lancer while Mrs. Fenton wrung her hands worriedly.

"Danny did steal them," a new voice rang out, "and I have the proof." Jazz held Danny's backpack up in one hand the answers in the other, "I found them in his bag."

"What were you doing in my bag?" Danny asked angrily.

"It doesn't matter you stole them!" Jazz snapped.

"She has a point Danny," Sam said reluctantly.

Tucker nodded, "It was wrong."

"What are you all against me?" Danny growled.

Danny's parent's frowned down at him, "Danny we are very disappointed in you," his mother said.

"I am too," Mr. Lancer agreed.

Danny scowled at Lancer, "You don't count – you're always disappointed in me."

Lancer sputtered and frowned.

"So I guess you're all against me then, great – just great, not only did I get caught, but my whole family and my best friends are against me."

"We aren't against you Danny…it was just wrong of you," Sam said gently.

Danny spat on the ground, "Don't talk to me."

Suddenly a rumbling started the ground shook and Danny immediately went ghost – that was when the Nasty Burger blew up, that was when Danny Phantom's life shattered to pieces – that was when everyone he cared about died…

* * *

**AMITY VIL: ONE MONTH LATER – Vlad's Manor**

Danny stood on the steps of Vlad's Manor – his arch-nemesis taken him in – they only person who would take the 'Ghost Child' especially a ghost child who caused…Danny began to shake with the guilt and pain.

"Ah – Danny my' boy," Vlad sighed and patted his shoulder – "Come inside."

Danny sighed and followed Vlad in barely noticing anything on his way in – nothing mattered anymore, only a month ago he would have shuddered at the thought of Vlad taking him in…but now…nothing mattered now.

He sighed and slumped to the floor in the front hall – there he was in the house – that was what they wanted out of him right?

That stupid test, that dumb, stupid test, Danny couldn't even remember why it was so important in the first place.

"Danny my' boy, why don't you follow me to your room," Vlad suggested with a pity filled smile.

"My room, right – whatever…"

"Come now, it's time to move on – the future is waiting," Vlad frowned, he didn't seem to be very good at this encouraging thing.

"I just wish I didn't feel this way anymore, I wish I didn't care…" Danny moaned.

A thoughtful look slid onto Vlad's face and he walked away without another word muttering to himself under his breath.

Standing Danny wandered down the hall; the ghost of a bear motioned him into his room. Danny would have halted at this before, but now the ghost bear seemed trivial.

Danny slid to the floor just inside the door. A clock ticked, counting off seconds that seemed more like hours to Danny. The slow, endless ticking lulled Danny into a restless nightmare filled sleep…and as he slid into the world of sleep his last thought was one of pain, and the wish that he couldn't feel it anymore.

* * *

Danny woke the next morning to a noise that made a stampede of elephants sound quiet. Danny frowned and then slumped against the wall again, who cared anyway… 

He sighed again, there was nothing left in this world or any other…he didn't want to feel – he wanted to be numb, empty of emotion. He shuddered, he sounded suicidal.

Danny stopped to ponder that, suicide – could it be so bad? Dead…Danny was one of the few people who knew for a fact that death wasn't the end – he'd just end up as the moping ghost who haunted this place for an eternity.

Danny slumped against the wall again, that was when Vlad came in and explained his plan.

* * *

No emotions, no feeling, that was what Vlad had promised and for the first time in over a month, Danny went to sleep with a slight feeling of hope. 

Vlad sighed; he was going to regret this, a little bit.

Actually what this meant was he'd get the apprentice he'd always wanted and Danny would have his wish, but dear Daniel didn't need to know that.

Vlad slipped the gloves that he had invented on smiling to himself ever so slightly, walking over to the table he reached into Danny, now to pull him away from emotion.

Danny opened his eyes, no emotions, no feelings – it almost surprised him that Vlad had kept his word – or it would have if he had any feelings.

Grinning Danny slammed his fist into Vlad – that felt…good, oh so there was some feelings still apparently – just none of those useless human ones. Vlad's eyes widened clearly this wasn't how he'd seen this meeting happening.

Danny grinned, free totally free, of emotions, morals, and most of all humans and the emotions that go with them. Power though – he'd need more power…his eyes settled on Vlad…oh yes, Vlad – he was part ghost wasn't he.

Pulling on the dropped gloves Danny advanced on the now cowering Vlad, snatching his ghost out was simple – and stealing it's power even easier.

"Don't let my evil half over-whelm you!" Vlad shouted.

Over-whelm? Danny almost laughed, evil was what had been hiding all these years underneath the guise of a nice boy. Who would have guessed? Vlad's half didn't over-whelm Danny, no Danny simply stole it's power and left it to float helpless. It was only a lump of awareness in floating in the air now.

Danny smiled again, "You are a fool Vlad, you've always been a fool," with that final laugh Danny sped into the night, pausing only to laugh at the empty human boy – well empty except for emotion."

* * *

**AMITY VIL: TEN YEARS IN THE FUTURE**

A blast flew from Danny's hands and he pondered why he had suddenly considered the long forgotten past.

Shrugging off the feeling he smiled down at his latest victim, and all was right with the world…well his world at least.

* * *

_**A/N:** Thanks for reading; hopefully you consider this worth a review._

_- I want to thank first of all the creators of Danny Phantom, I quite like the show in spite of the fact I'm likely too old to be watching it.  
__- I also would like to thank the following artist's because their music helped inspire me to write this; Pucifer, Hoobastank, Three Day's Grace, and Blue October.  
- Also, about the thing about Vlad being wrong about his evil half over-whelming, I added that in because I felt that it should be Danny who was evil, and only Danny - so that it is esentially him who is the evil one.__  
__- Finally I wanted to say that I'd been planning on writing this fic for a while and I'm very happy that I finally got it posted, once more thanks for reading!_

_Tarawen_


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